Girl with The Dragon Tattoo
by StardragonXX
Summary: This is a Nalu Two-shot that expands into a full on story. E.N.D is the demon king of the demon country Tartaros, and has been leading the war against humans and mages for nearly five centuries. Lucy Heartfilia is a top ranked magic using assassin in the country of Fiore. Tasked with the assassination of the demon king, will she get in and out, or will she be ensnared by the enemy?
1. Girl with the dragon tattoo PT1

**Authors Note: This is just me dumping a random Nalu I have on you guys, it'll be a Two-shot, so expect more. Anyone want me to make this where I dump my random One-shots and Two-shots, or should this be the only one? You're decision guys! Okay? Okay.**

 **Bye**

* * *

 _Two-shot_

 _Main Ship: E.N.D!Natsu x Lucy_

 _Summary:_  
 _E.N.D is the demon king of the demon country_ Tartaros, _and has been leading the war against the human and mage populations for nearly five centuries. Lucy Heartfilia is one of the top ten magic-wielding assassins in the country of Fiore. Tasked with the assassination of the demon king, will Heartfilia get in and out of the country alive, or will the enemy ensnare her in their grasp?_

* * *

"You can't really be thinking of this! They would _kill_ her in seconds!" a shadowed man roared, pointing a hand at the young blonde who sat at the end of the long table. The figure at the other end scoffed and shook his head.

"There isn't anyone else able to take the position. Crawford's betrayal means that they have intel on all of our knights, juggernauts, archers and assassins, all _but_ miss Heartfilia, who was the only one to undergo covert training under the late grand master. Crawford knows not of her existence, so neither will the enemy. She is our only chance at ending all of this, she can get into the fortress unrecognized and kill E.N.D." he growled, the entire table nodding in agreement. The man that had spoken earlier and stood, ready to fight against his coworkers, when the blonde froze him with a glare and stood herself.

"While I am indifferent to this, I will ask. How will I, a mortal spirit summoner, kill the immortal king of a race of demons?" she questioned, resting her hands on her hips.

"We are aware that you are a direct descendant of the Spirit King, and there are tales of the foes you have trapped in the celestial realm by forging a bond between blank keys and their souls. We recommend that method of entrapment to defeat E.N.D."

"That would leave me vulnerable to the demons then, the spell needed consumes mass amounts of magic from me and the surrounding area, and it leaves me weaker than a newborn... I'll find another way to end this." Lucy sighed, spinning and walking away when she finished." I'm setting out for Tartarus at 2000." then she disappeared around a corner, leaving all the old council members shaking their heads in regret.

* * *

The assassin sighed as she finished tending to her horse for most likely, the last time. Astra whinnied and bumped her rider with her cream-colored nose as if to say don't leave.

"Silly girl, I have to do this... The sky was once clear and blue, but now with the demons, it's constantly clouded. Did you know, horses like you weren't always used for riding into battle, but to spend our days with the wind blowing past as you..." Lucy whispered sweetly, a small, gloved hand caressing the horse.

"You know, I hear that in the eastern countries, horse riding is a way to show ones' peace with the world." a voice added from behind the blonde, belonging to Fiore's strongest female knight, Erza 'Titania' Belserion Scarlet. Erza smiled at her and walked over, pulling her friend into a tight hug." Lucy, you will come back to us correct?"

"Y-yes Erza-nee, don't worry about me, a member of the Fairytail squad never fails ." Lucy laughed back, stepping from the fairy queen's arms and giving the woman a bright and nervous smile.

"If anything goes wrong in Plutogrim or Alegria, retreat as fast as possible." Plutogrim, better known as the capital city of the Tartaros empire, was where Lucy was going, and castle Alegria/Dragneel was in the dead center. The blonde summoner nodded then gave Titania a light shove to the doors.

"Let's go, I wanna say bye to everyone..."

* * *

After a week's long hike through the Devil's Back, a dark forest that was split between Fiore and Tartaros, that involved five deadly encounters with Incubi, a Basilisk, and three encounters with a manticore pack. Each had ended with the mythical creature slinking back to whatever cave they came from, but not without leaving a few scratches. The blonde could now just barely see the top of one of the guard outposts along the border wall, a marker of where the two countries met. Unsurprisingly, two fires were lit to pierce through the darkness of the night. It didn't take long for Lucy to reach it, slinging two pellets packed with a gas version of a highly concentrated sleeping gas over. Both made a popping noise as they disappeared, the sound of bodies hitting the ground showing that the guards were incapacitated.

Quickly scaling the building, the blonde smiled at the sight of several unconscious demons, all human except for the black markings on their skin. She took confident strides forwards, moving to the small common room that all outposts have. Glancing inside, she saw that there wasn't a soul in there, awake at least. Satisfied with the incapacitation of the current threats, Lucy moved to the edge of the wall, jumping over and landing softly on enemy soils. As her feet touched the earth, a searing pain raced through her, as if on fire, and it all concentrated into her left arm.

The female pulled the fabric of her thin black shirt up, grimacing and moaning at the pain it caused, to reveal a tattoo, more like marking, that had not been there before. A gold and red dragon snaked its way up her arm, a wing wrapping around her bicep and triceps while the tail snaked around her wrist as a sort of bracelet.

"What the hell?!" she muttered, letting her fingers trace down the mark gently, sensing the magic flowing through it. It felt similar to Gajeel's, the strongest juggernaut in Fiore, dragon slayer magic, but it felt more untamed, wild and warm, unlike the iron dragon's cold and calm feel. With a scowl on her face, she pulled her sleeve back down, covering the tattoo, and straightening herself.

The area around her exuded dark magic as expected of the Tartaros side of the Devil's Back, but it didn't seem much different than it was in Fiore. Remembering the location of the capital from maps that her friend forced her to learn. Currently, she was supposed to be south of Alegria by about thirty miles, a day-long trek if she went on foot, not that she would since a friend had offered their services.

"Open, gate of the wolf, Lupus!" a bright white light blinded her for a second then faded, revealing a huge black furred wolf with streaks of gold and eyes a blue that bordered on white. He gave a wolfish grin and hunkered down, tail swishing impatiently behind him as Lucy carefully seated herself on his back.

"Evening Misteress, I believe our target is to the north?"

"Yes it is Lupus."

"Then we will be there within the hour, although I will not be able to stay out longer than that." He spoke, taking off in a full sprint while the summoner clung to him as if she would fall.

"Alright... Has Andromeda finished her forging of the curse blocking chains yet?"

"No, Cephus and Cassiopeia had needed assistance with their tasks, so she was only able to continue just a few minutes before I was summoned."

"Okay... I guess that means more time scoping out the enemy territory... Lupus, do you know what this is?" the female questioned, pulling up her sleeve and showing the wolf spirit her mysterious tattoo. It took a moment for him to pull his eyes away and respond.

"That is the mark of a dragon or dragon slayer. You are aware of Levy's own dragon tattoo on her calf? They link you to your mate and help them find you, why do you think Gajeel appeared and almost immediately started dating your friend?"

"wait, she told me it was a symbol of their relationship, I didn't realize that they were destined... Does that mean my soulmate is a fire wielder?"

"Yes, most likely a pure blooded fire dragon or hybrid judging by the dual colouration. Mate marks are one solid color for those who learn the dragon arts." The wolf explained, slowly slightly as the buildings in the capital city soon came into sight.

' _We've been talking for that long?'_ She thought as the spirit below her slowed to a trot, staying low to the ground.

"Mistress, there are two unknowns approaching from the nine, do we apprehend them or stay out of sight?" Lupus asked, eyes turned to where the unknowns were coming from. Lucy slid off of his back and looked him over once then sighed, holding out his key.

"We, will not be doing either. While I may not be tired, you are, and you know that I won't let you stay out longer than needed. Gate Closure." She sighed, letting dark honey eyes slide closed when the spirit faded back to his world, sounding quite upset with his forced departure. The sound of two separate footsteps reached her ears after a few seconds, sending her scrambling for cover.

"I can sense something close Dragneel... it feels Fiorian." One spoke, the voice deep, cold and masculine.

"Stupid little mages' probably sent someone to spy on us. Come out come out wherever you are!" A second voice laughed. It was deeper than the first, masculine and had a persuading undertone." If you don't I'll turn you to ash!" Lucy shivered at the thought, glancing down at her left arm.

 _'If I'm bonded with a fire dragon, that should make me fireproof, right?'_

 _'Only if it's your mate's fire... Use Hydra's dress.'_

 _'Get out of my head Lupus!'_

"Three..." The first one spoke. Eyes widening slightly, the blonde gripped her keys and mentally summoned the desired star dress." Two." The transformation ended quickly, leaving her in a sea green sheer bodysuit, light blue sequins forming the shape of Hydra's three heads. Gold locks fell in large curls with sea-green ribbons lacing through it. The air around her had heated up quite a lot by that time, and Lucy couldn't be more pleased with the fact that the dress negated any heat effects." One!"

A loud roar shook the ground and the female's hand flew out in the direction of a tunnel of flames, a magic circle appearing on her palm as a torrent of water shot out to meet the opposing element.

"Invader's got spunk eh? Looks like it's time to play!"

"Try not to burn down your forest Dragneel..." The first voice drawled, sounding much closer now. The fire attack soon died down to reveal her two attackers. The smaller of the two, a man with pale skin, black hair and deep blue eyes stood to the left, ice encasing his arms in jagged spikes. Half of his right arm was covered in black markings that seemed to glint in the darkness of the night. The second man was shadowed slightly, only one of his two golden eyes visible. His salmon colored hair and a fanged grin surprised her slightly, but she shook it off when she recognized his face, which was somehow very attractive to her.

 _'That's the demon king?!'_

"Old bastard only ever said that there was _one_ golden, the thunder dragon... Who the hell are ya Goldie?!" E.N.D growled, taking a step closer and igniting his body, which burned his shirt to ash. The ice wielder narrowed his eyes and glanced between the two. Lucy was slightly surprised when the tattoos on the demon's chest came into view, the word E.N.D inked into his tan skin, taking up the majority of his visible skin." Answers Goldie, Crawford only ever mentioned Laxus, so either you're a threat, or useless... Eh, who really cares, you're dead anyways."

"Cocky bastard..." She grumbled, body tensing for the fight. The raven haired male gave her a simple look over before the ground around him froze.

"She'll be able to give ya a run for your money Salamander." Was all he said, the pink haired demon nodding before grinning wickedly.

"Like a little broad like this could challenge me, tell ya what Goldie, I kill you quickly and painlessly, or your screams wake the dead."

"Don't think so high of yourself bastard, this ' _little broad_ ' is one of the top ranked fighters, if anyone screams tonight, it'll be you, _Pinky._ " The hiss of outrage made Lucy smirk as tendrils of water swirled around her legs, ready to lash out at a moments notice. E.N.D glared then smirked, running a hand through his hair, horns curling from his skull the second the hand moved away. Giant wings burst from his back, nearly invisible in the inky darkness due to their ebony color.

"You just taunted the dragon Goldie, don't be surprised when you get burnt!"

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	2. Girl with The Dragon Tattoo PT2

**Part 2**

* * *

Lucy gripped her blood soaked arm as she lifted herself to her feet. The ice devil had gotten the drop on her when she'd went after E.N.D, and he had left a cut from her shoulder to halfway down her forearm. She rewarded him with a kick to the family jewels. The demon king had also begun to fight harder the second she bled, dealing more blows that drew blood than ones meant to severely injure.

She was well aware why he did it, hybrids and demons generally were drawn to the scent and taste of maiden blood. Lucy cringed and shivered as E.N.D licked her blood from a claw, swallowing her gag reflex. The ice devil seemed to do the same. He grinned ferally, flexing his claws as his eyes changed from gold to crimson. The pupils slit, looking cat-like and slightly insane. He flashed long, sharp canines, dragging the tip of his tongue over the razor sharp tips. He took a step forwards, waving off his companion.

"She's all mine Gray, go back to your bedwarmers." E.N.D hissed, eyes scanning over her figure as the ice wielder slunk off, grumbling something like _'Stupid flame-ass is gonna get killed...'_ E.N.D sighed, giving another grin as he watched Lucy reach for her keys with her good arm." Your blood tasted delicious... So I'll be taking you as my own personal slave."

 _'Yes...'_ a voice purred convincingly in her head.

"Hell no you creep, the only thing you'll be taking is a hit to the gut!" she growled, gripping one of her white keys, the texture of the metal similar to that of scales. Bringing the cool metal to her lips, she chanted the summoning spell for the star dress, basking in the wave of cool that overcame her as it flashed into existence.

Shiny black scales tinted in purples and blues covered her sides and back, stopping just below her butt. The scales covered most of her arms, excluding the mate tattoo, leaving only the pale skin of her hands in view while a long, slender tail extended from her tailbone, night colored scales morphing to a soft gold at the tip. A black sheer dress tied behind her neck and just under her tail. The scales also covered most of her neck and the edges of her cheeks.

"You called yourself a dragon right? Let's see how you fair against a dragon's power." The blonde smirked, clenching her fists and letting Draco's swirling black and blue magic wash over them. E.N.D did the same, flames leaping excitedly in his hands as he licked his lips.

"You really didn't do your research on me _at all_ did ya Love?" he grinned, eyes examining her new look with a lustful glint. Lucy shrugged, tail lashing wildly.

"Not like it'll matter, I'm here to take you out of this war." She lunged with an unexpected speed, bringing a fist up to nail him in the gut, only for it to be caught in his larger hands. E.N.D bend her hand towards her, making her move forwards in order to keep her wrist from snapping. She swung her leg out, knocking him off his feet with a yelp. The blonde sprung away, shaking the pain off as he got up and pounced, swiping at her with a fiery claw strike.

The flames burned at her injured arm, making her whimper in pain. Without missing a heartbeat, he spun behind her, locking a strong, tanned arm around her throat, the other locking around her slender waist, pressing her bloodied arm against her stomach and gripping the other one.

"You belong to a dragon huh?" he growled in her ear, tracing the tattoo with his thumb. She struggled against him, stomping on his feet, freezing at the feel of sharp objects poking her neck.

"L-let me go!" she growled, shivering at the feel of something moist and warm caressing the side of her throat. His chest rumbled against her back as he chuckled.

"Now why would I do that Love, I told ya I'd make you mine..." He whispered, licking the shell of her ear teasingly. The sharp objects poked at her again before sinking into her jugular. She cried out in pain as he swallowed the red liquid that flowed from the wound. His grip on her good arm kept her from trying to wrench him away as he drank.

"S-s-stop..." she breathed out, body weakening in his hold. He slowly withdrew his fangs, leaning back and tutting at the mess he'd left. Her blood tasted like sugar and spice, and it excited him. She shook under his gaze, trying to squirm from his grasp.

"Hold still." he ordered, leaning back into her body and licking the rest of the blood away, the puncture wounds scarring over at his touch. Loosening his grasp, E.N.D didn't expect for her to slam an elbow into his gut. She stumbled away, tripping over her legs and tail, rolling only her back. Lucy whimpered in pain as she sat up, hand clasped over her neck.

E.N.D straightened his back, clutching his stomach with a grimace, only to drop to the ground in order to evade the deadly celestial dragon roar aimed at his head. Small victory, he gets to keep his head. Crimson eyes narrowed in annoyance at the blonde, who struggled to her feet. He hopped up, stalking over to her, dodging a feeble tail swipe along the way. The fire wielder climbed over top of her, caging her beneath him as he grinned down at her.

"Now, what was it you said, that you'd kill me?"

* * *

She'd been held up in this room for five days. it hadn't been that bad, the room was designed for royalty, the black blankets and pillows were made of silk, the marble floor polished to the point that it shone. The room itself was warm as well, which was odd since there was no form of heating.

Lucy yawned loudly as she was roused from her sleep, bleary eyes scanning the room she had been trapped in. Yet again, she could feel lingering warmth around her waist, but there wasn't another soul in the room.

 _Odd..._

She blinked, adjusting to the lights as she rolled from the bed and onto wobbly feet. Disregarding the tempting tray of breakfast, she shuffled to the bathroom, slamming the heavy oak door closed. Her captors supplied very delicious looking meals every day, but basic knowledge of her situation told her that eating it would most likely not be in her favor.

Ignoring all the overly expensive looking personal care items, she grabbed a bottle of scentless soap, slipping off her clothes and into the shower. The scalding water blasted her skin, which promptly turned red, as she racked her mind for new methods of escape. Every attempt had ended in her breathing in some knockout gas, taking a tranq dart to the ass, and her favorite, tied upside down, dangling in the air above the bed for nearly a full day.

The low buzz of a P.A system drew her from her thoughts, making her look up on instinct.

 _*Unnamed guest, please report to main doors. Guards will arrive shortly to escort you to the royal library.*_

That was new, she mused, rinsing herself off and hopping out and wrapping a bathrobe around her curvy body. She could hear the faint clang of steel boots hitting stone floors, which grew louder at a slow and steady rate. The blonde mage did as instructed, waiting impatiently at the door. If she played the good girl for a bit, they most likely would become less wary of her eminent escape, then she could slip out and go home.

"Step away from the door." a monotone voice droned on the other side, whoever it was swinging the heavy wooden doors open to reveal a blonde demon with black diamond-shaped tattoos under his only visible golden eye, which looked down on her with disgust. He scoffed, gesturing for her to follow as he waltzed off, a fluffy tail swinging at his feet." Can believe he chose something like you... Seilah and Kyoka throw themselves at him, but he chooses a human..."

"For your information, I am not a human, I'm a mage, there's a difference." she hissed back, leaning out of the way of a smack to the face.

"I don't care what you are, no matter whether you're a human or a mage, I can _easily_ crush you under my foot!" He stopped, glaring daggers at her. If looks could kill, she'd be dead. He reminded her of an unruly kitten she had when she was little...

"Kitty spill his milk?" Bad idea, the demon cocked back a fist and sent it into her stomach, hard, making her stumble back and cough up blood." Dirty blow Bastard..." She spat, eyes shooting daggers at him as she fought the near overwhelming urge to send him to an early grave.

"Jackal, the king wants her alive and well, you would do well to remember what happens when he is denied what he wants." A cold, masculine voice spoke from her side. The blonde looked up to glare at the ice devil she'd fought when she got close to the castle. He rolled his eyes and grabbed her by her right hand, dragging her away from the other demon.

She was lead far from the room, the hallways twisting and turning until her mind stopped try to remember the way. They walked deeper into the castle, finally coming to a stop in front of huge mahogany doors that stood about 15 feet tall. Two dragons were carved into the well-maintained wood, flames leaping from their mouths. The ice devil rapped his knuckles against them twice, waiting a few seconds before pushing them open.

"Dragneel, I brought the goldie, you need anything else?" He asked as he bound her wrists behind her back with ice, then creating a chain that bound her to an iron stand.

"I'll call you if I need anything Gray." Gray nodded his head, ink-colored hair falling in front of dark blue eyes as he spun on his heel and left, giving her a warm smile as he passed. She narrowed her eyes at the demon king once the doors closed, trying to free her hands. He looks at her with sharp, seductive golden eyes, brushing a strand of pink hair from his face before he prowls over, the way his muscles coil and ripple telling her about his strength.

"What's your name Goldie?" he asked, stopping just a few inches away from her. She could feel a comfortable heat coming off of him in waves, it made her want to melt into his arms.' _NOPE, I AM NOT FALLING FOR A DEMON! NO!'_ she screamed to herself, glaring up at him, blinking when he smirked." Did you forget how to speak? What's. Your. Name?"

"What's yours?"

"Etherious Natsu Dragneel, but most call me E.N.D or Natsu." His voice was low and husky, the deep timbre of it making her shiver.

"Lucille Rei Heartfilia."

"Lucille huh? I like it, the Fiorian's Light, well, now the demon's Light." he chuckled to himself. She frowned at the statement, shaking her wrists and the chains when the cold started to get to her.

"Look, I'm not a threat without my gear, you can take off the chains." she reasoned, flinching away when the male wrapped his arms around her, his warmth seeping into her skin. The cuffs melted away almost instantly, turning to steam. He released her after a second, a calloused hand moving to her neck.

"You're mine now, my pet, my companion, my serf. Anything I say goes, and if you disobey me, you'll see the side of me that you'd title to be demonic." He whispered to her, a hidden promise in his voice as he gripped her chin, pulling her head up to look him in the eye. His free hand caressed the dragon tattoo on her arm longingly.

"And if I say no?" she instantly regretted the question, his eyes darkened slightly as the words rolled off her tongue. He leaned in close enough that their noses brushed, eyes bearing down on her.

"Then I'll show you how a dragon deals with an unruly mate." He didn't spare her a second to think, his lips were on hers in an instant.


	3. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo PT3

**OMG, I think the world hates me! the day after the update about the prompts and my trip, the tablet I was working off of refused to work, so I couldn't type. so I had to sit around like 'what do I do, WHAT DO I DO?!' freaking out and all that cuz I don't like disappointing all of you. Then, when I finally get home, I can't access any of my stories because my computer committed freaking suicide, so now I wrote this chapter off of memory and improving! Someone freaking shoot me... so yeah, I'm now sitting in a library typing this chapter out, AGAIN. I hope that you all could forgive me as I try to fix my computer and tablet, and i'm so very sorry.**

PART 3

Lucy was frozen, her body refused to move as the man, no demon, captured her in a heated lip lock, pressing into her. Finally regaining control once he slipped his tongue into her mouth, she bit down, teeth drawing blood from the offending appendage as the pinkette reeled away, a frown on his handsome face.

Did she just say handsome?

The metallic taste of blood was on her tongue, and she grimaced.

"What the hell Lucille!" he growled, golden eyes flaring red. His speech was slightly distorted, her name coming out a bit slurred. She could feel his annoyance, the waves of heat that came off of him becoming near unbearable. Fighting the urge to run off with her tail between her legs, the blonde glared back, swiping her tongue over her teeth to clean them.

"I'm _not_ your personal slut, and I don't care who you think you are, put a hand on me and I'll make you wish you never met me." He chuckled, the sound rumbling from his chest, making her quiver.' _Natural reaction... It's just because he's good looking! Yeah, yeah totally!'_

He reached out and gripped her left wrist in the blink of the eye, pulling her forwards and turning her arm so that she could see part of the gold and red dragon tattoo.

"See this? This is the mark of a dragon, a _fire dragon_ in fact. You yourself called me a dragon. If you can put two and two together, let me tell you something, you are my destined mate, if you reject me, you die a death I would not wish on anyone." Lucy's dark eyes widened as she puts it all together, ripping her arm free.

"N-no... I-i can't..." She shuddered, falling to the ground and starring up with teary eyes. E.N.D went on one knee in front of her, a brushing his knuckles against her cheek in a sweet caress. He leaned forwards with a warm, tender smile, pressing his lips to the crown of her head. Her head swam, all of the information being too much for her to comprehend.

"Don't cry Lucille, I promise that you'll learn to love it here... that you'll learn to love me..." then the world went black.

~~~.~~~

Blinking to clear her eyes, the blonde slowly sat up, her body stiff and neck aching. She was back in her 'prison' room, the expensive looking blankets pooled on her lap. She no longer wore the robe she left in, but a sheer black nightgown that cut off just a few inches below her hips. She grimaced at the idea that someone had seen her as naked as the day she was born, hoping with all her heart that a demoness had changed her.

Memories of what had happened suddenly flooded her mind, and she fought the urge to completely shut down. She was the demon king's mate... She would never be able to return to Fiore, they'd call her a demon and rip out her heart. That was the only way to permanently kill a demon, other than by poison. A tear streaked from her large, dark honey eyes, dripping onto the blankets.

Would she forever be locked away in this prison, away from civilization and her family? Lucy couldn't even sense her keys, but she could feel the spirits trying to force themselves through when she concentrated.

 ** _*Guest Lucille, breakfast with his highness scheduled for 9 am. Current time 8 am*_**

The PA system announced, the monotone voice that spoke sounding bored and annoyed. She huffed and dragged herself out of bed, nearly face-planting when her legs refused to lock. Why sulk in bed all alone when she could go feed herself, she was literally starving.

Shuffling into the bathroom, she noticed a few new things, there was a bottle of... polish for horns, odd... a second set of cleaning products, but for men, and a small pile of folded clothes on the counter, a pair of skinny jeans and a low cut v-neck, the v ending an inch below the bottoms of her above average breasts. A pair of lacy black panties sat innocently on top. The blonde blushed at the outfit, realizing that there would be no bra.

she quickly washed herself down and shaved, not wanting to linger in the bathroom for longer than needed. Drying herself off, she slipped on the supplied clothes, struggling slightly with the jeans, which felt like they were nearly a size too small. The shirt was much comfier than the pants, but the deep v neckline still put her off, showing her entire cleavage to the world. It didn't take long for a guard to come to her room after that, a small grin on her face as she recognized the inky black hair of the ice demon.

"C'mon, the flamebrain isn't too patient, neither of us wants to deal with his pouting." the demon smirked, holding out a pale calloused hand, palm up as he waited for her to place her hand in his. She eyed the open hand for a moment, then cautiously allowed their hands to touch, blushing when he bowed at the waist and kissed her knuckles." I'd like to acquaint myself. Gray Fullbuster, rank A royal knight in the Dragneel court. I've been under E.N.D's wing for nearly four centuries now."

"Wow... Lucille Rei Heartfilia, I usually go by Lucy, rank Z assassin, I only joined the military after my teacher was killed." the look of pity in his dark eyes made her want to puke. Pity would never get anyone anywhere, you had to take anything thrown your way without a complaint.

"Which battle?"

"Fae Ridge about half a year ago, he was leading the charge." a light bulb seemed to turn on in Gray's head.

"I remember that, the Fiorian general there was Helix Grenji right? Damn, I seriously respected that guy, he could take out a whole wave of demons in _one_ attack." he grinned at the memory." A strong enemy is the one that will you will always want to have around, they keep you on your feet. At least that's what my mother told me."

Lucy smiled a watery smile as she remembered her deceased master, it was surprising and heartwarming to find that he was respected among high-level demons.

"His death really surprised me, one of his own men had stabbed him in the back, quite literally. It's high treason to kill a high ranking official in Tartaros. The demons under my command executed him. One of the fiorian soldiers was told to say he was killed by my men." he led her away from her room, the path was relatively easy to remember, and she was grateful that Gray explained what some rooms were for.

"So, what's he like, I don't want to go in and get my head torched because I messed up." She asked when they stopped outside of two tall, elegantly carved doors.

"Well, try not to be too stubborn, you two might never leave the room if you are. He doesn't really enjoy princess behavior, act like a person, not someone with a pole up their ass... You know, you never did say why you crossed into Tartaros."

"Crawford had betrayed the high council, he came here with all of Fiore's information on our fighters. I was the only one not in the system since it happened just after Helix's death, so I could get in without anyone knowing who I was. Sure, you could sense my magic pressure, but you wouldn't know my magic unless I used it. Plus, I can seal someone in a key, so the council wanted me to come and take out the demon king." She explained, flicking a stray strand of hair from her eyes.

The lighting there was a lot better than the lighting by her room, so she finally got a good look at the ice demon. His dark eyes were a midnight blue, and his inky bangs covered a small scar on his forehead. His lips were in a constant frown and seemed thin and cracked. He was the tall, dark and mysterious man that most girls could only dream of. She herself, however, went after the more fun and open male population, but he seemed perfect for a certain water mage she knew.

"You know, if this war never happened, we probably would've met on better terms." Gray nodded slowly, his lips twisting in a bittersweet smile.

"Probably... I'll be escorting you to the gardens afterward, the keeper there has your keys so we'll need to go retrieve them. We can go spar after that if you want, I'd love to fight you one on one sometime." He smirked at the last part, a large hand ruffling her golden locks. She felt that comforting feeling that she had around her squad, that family feeling. Silently, she decreed that he was her new big brother and that she would get to like him.

"Alright, thanks Gray." The blonde smiled, pushing his hand away in fake annoyance as he pushed the doors open.

"Hey Smokebreath, Lucy's here." She stepped in to see E.N.D watching a red, gold and black flame that danced upon his fingertips with a peaceful look in his golden eyes, following the movement lazily. The demon fire flickered out, and he looked up, eyes widening slightly as he looked her up and down, cheeks turning a light scarlet color, darkening when his nostrils flared.

He didn't seem to be like he was yesterday if his body language and facial expressions were anything to go by.

"M-mornin'...I-i didn't," he took in a deep breath, pupil dilating with the intake of air, directing his eyes anywhere but her revealed chest," I didn't know what you like to eat, so the kitchen's just gonna throw everything they have on the table." just as he finished speaking, a door in the far back of the room opening as a troop of demons dressed in fancy suits and ankle length black dresses came marching out, platters of food in their tattooed arms.

the demon leading the parade stopped beside E.N.D and smiled warmly, gesturing to the food that her coworkers placed.

"As requested your highness, we have each breakfast dish that the chefs could prepare on such short notice." She looked to Lucy then, smile widening and eyes sparkling with happiness." You must be Lady Heartfilia! I've wanted to meet you since you were brought to the castle, I've never met a human before! I _must_ recommend the smoked salmon omelette with the fire potato wedges, it's bursting with flavor, and is one of the kitchen's _best_ dishes!"

The demoness was bouncing on her feet, and the blonde couldn't help but feel a bit more energetic.

"Thank you..."

"Meredy Milkovich." It was a nice name, different from the Fiorian names she was used to. These demons didn't seem to be stone cold killers like she'd been taught.

They were just like her friends, a big family.

~~~.~~~

Breakfast was... eventful to say the least... Who would expect the king of demons to finish all of the food presented sans her own, which she valiantly protected. She threw him a dark glare when he burped, a ball of flame spewing from his opened mouth and charring the ceiling. He smiled sheepishly and rubbed at the back of his neck.

"Oops?" when she thought about it, she realized. This goofball was the all powerful ruler of the demon race, and had been waging a half a millennia old war." So... are you getting used to this?" he sounded genuinely curious, and she couldn't deny a response when she saw his hopeful, childish look.

"It's fine I guess, I've never been a fan of being stuck in one spot..." she trailed off as she remembered the male care products and horn polish she'd found earlier." oh yeah, I found some stuff I didn't recognize in my bathroom, where'd it come from?"

"Oh, that's my stuff, I forgot to put it away this morning."

"Why are you using my bathroom though?" she tilted her head in curiosity.

"That's my bathroom _and_ bedroom actually. You never see me there cause I get in late and leave early, I don't need much sleep." Her face turned a nice shade of red.

"D-did we sleep t-together?"

"Yeah, I ain't sleeping on the floor. I did nothing, you were the one that pretty much used me as a body pillow, y'know you're super clingy when you sleep right?." she could hear the smirk in his voice, and couldn't help her embarrassed whine, hands hiding her face." I enjoyed it though, so I didn't mind."

"S-shut up... I'm just gonna go now..." She stood up and brushed the imaginary dust off of her body. E.N.D frowned and moved to his feet as well, coming around the table to her side. Lucy didn't shy away from his touch as he rested a heavy arm around her shoulders.

"Gray told you about getting your keys from the garden keeper right? I'll take you. She's been wanting to meet ya for a while now." He led her out of the room and into the hallway, keeping her pressed to his side as they walked. The maze of rooms and halls soon ended as they were spat out into a huge courtyard. The entirety of the outdoor space seemed to be a lush garden, with a wall of rose bushes protecting the plants inside.

"Hey E.N.D, is that her?" a light feminine voice had them turning to find the speaker. Lucy frowned as the voice registered as familiar, and its owner came into sight. With short silver hair styled in dual pigtails, forget-me-not blue eyes and a cute childish face, Lisanna Strauss was the same as she was a few months ago, before she'd died.

"L-lisanna..."

They stared at each other before the platinum blonde's lips curled into a wide smile. Lucy wasn't prepared for her friend to crash into her and knock her to the ground, but she wrapped the Strauss up in a tight hug still.

"Lucy! Oh my gods, I can't believe it's you! Why are you here Lucy?" The blue eyed girl asked, sitting up and watching her friend curiously. The spirit mage huffed and pointed at the fire demon that stood there, looking like a complete dunce.

"He thought it would be a good idea to kidnap me... I- we thought that you were _dead_... Mira gave up this war..." Lisanna sighed and brushed a stray strand of hair from her eyes.

"Why would she do that, she loved the idea of being someone who fought for her kingdom, and I nearly did die, you must've heard from Mira and Elfman. I got shot in the heart, but this demon, a soul eater, took my soul out of my body. Next thing I know, I'm here, not even a scar left."

"W-why didn't you come back? You left everyone to grieve..." Lucy stammered, slowly getting to her feet.

"That'd be Bixslow's fault, he got her to fall in love with him, he was totally smitten by her." E.N.D butted in, slinging an arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his side. Lucy frowned and tried to squirm free.

"Pretty much. Lucy, when it comes to Natsu, just go for the sides, works every time." Lisanna winked. _'Wait, who's Natsu? Have I met him?'_

"Sanna! I told you not to call me that, E.N.D sounds _so much_ cooler!" oh, so his name was actually Natsu? It was a good name, Summer.

"It's not that bad, I'm gonna call you king Summer now." She giggled, jabbing an elbow into his side to free herself. She was instantly beside the platinum blonde, who smiled a wide smile then linked their arms.

"C'mon, let's go catch up and get your keys! Natsu, you can come if you promise not to burn _any_ of my plants." Her voice held a weak threat, and E.N.D scoffed, as if he were beyond burning things.

"And when have I ever burnt something here?"

"First week of my employment, the whole nightrose collection was ashed, my silver peonies, the topiaries, the entire western quarter of the garden." she counted her fingers as she named countless damages, going on for nearly a minute as she recited them.

"damn, I get it... Gods, you'd think the demon king wouldn't be kept reigned up..." Lisanna clicked her tongue at him and shook her head.

"Look, Natsu, the castle gardens are my domain, so don't expect me to be a mindless servant. follow my rules, or don't come in." The demon grumbled under his breath for a moment, then nodded submissively.

Lisanna glared for a moment then let out a loud sigh, pulling Lucy after her with a gentle grip on her wrist. The summoner followed as she was lead deeper into the maze of plants and flowers.

one cluster of flowers caught her eye, and she found herself wandering towards a huge cluster of snapdragons, most being violet with a few yellow and pink blooms thrown in.

"I brought those into the garden a while after I got here, actually, I brought all of the flowers in, it used to be just ugly bushes." Lucy nodded and they soon reached the center of the maze. A tiny wooden cottage sat engulfed in white roses, a few fairy statues scattered strategically in front of the cottage.

"Wait here for a second, I'll be right back." the take-over mage cast her a smile and glared at E.N.D, then disappeared into the cottage.

Lucy let her eyes linger on the door, already feeling her spirits joy at soon being reunited, a few, such as Lupus and Pavo whispering about how she would be able to escape. Cancer sounded giddy, wanting to work on her hair.

These demons weren't very smart, when she thought about it. who gives a prisoner all the means to escape anyway?

"Just because you're getting your keys back, doesn't mean getting out of here is _any_ easier." E.N.D purred from behind her. She spun, narrowing her eyes at the gold eyed demon.

"Why the hell do I even have to stay?! you are my enemy, the reason why I couldn't live a normal life and have a family." a growl ripped from his throat and he took a step forwards. she took one back and he continued to force her back until she couldn't move.

he caged her in, chests pressed together and noses just millimeters apart. the warmth he exuded reminded her of a fireplace, comfortable and calming.

"I did not start this war, all I've ever done is protect my own. Humans and Mages attacked us, you're people brought this war upon themselves. And you cannot leave my domain until you fully accept me as your mate, if you leave or fully reject me, your body will kill itself and you will die, as I've said before."

She found herself shaking under his angry, yet concerned gaze. Lucy knew the anger was directed towards Fiore's war and magic councils, who had, most likely at the beginning, attacked the demon realm for no reason.

he seemed to notice her unease, taking a step back and letting his hands fall to his sides. Lucy almost let out a whine at the loss of his warmth, the cool air rushing over her body.

"I'm sorry for how I acted yesterday, I was not in the right mind and the pressure of my councils demanding an assault on Fiore didn't help." his eyes were downcast, his shoulders drooped, and he seemed genuinely apologetic.

she opened her mouth to respond, only for a familiar jingle to reach her ears. getting around E.N.D before he could even blink, she ran up to Lisanna, who was just closing the cottage's door, and eagerly took her keys from the platinum blonde's hands.

Lucy ran the pads of her fingers over each key, lips curling into a smile when each key she touched heated up.

"Thank you..." Lisanna gave a warm grin and nodded, eyes flickering to E.N.D, who'd come up and slung an arm around Lucy's waist, gently pulling her into his side.

"maybe you'd be up for a rematch if we go to the training rings?" she looked up at him, slipping the key ring around her wrist like a bracelet and not moving from his hold.

"Sadly, I've promised my first spar to Knight Fullbuster. You can have a go at me after." She smirked cockily up at him, eyes reflecting confusion when he and Lisanna began to laugh.

"Luce, can I call you Luce, a word of advice, there's no need for titles in Alegria or Plutogrim, everyone's equal, titles are for the battlefield." E.N.D chuckled, ruffling her golden hair. the blonde nodded, knocking his hand away with a pout on her face, trying to fix her hair.

"alright you two, I've got plants to take care of, out." Lisanna did a shooing gesture, pushing E.N.D with more force than necessary as they walked out. once a good distance away from the maze's entrance, the platinum blonde waved goodbye to Lucy as the pair walked away." Use protection you two, this realm can't deal with more than one Natsu!"

Lucy choked on thin air, cheeks turning a startling red while E.N.D smirked.

"C'mon, the sooner you beat the popsicle, the sooner we get to play." she followed him as they re-entered the castle, walking pretty much straight down the giant hallway until they reached the last door on the left. he pushed it open and gestured for her to go first." M'lady."

she hid a giggle behind her hand as she entered the room, eyes widening as she took it in.

the back wall was nearly five hundred meters away, and the room was a perfect cube, ceiling high above their heads. Off to her right, a wooden bench stretched a good thirty feet, and sitting on it was Gray, who gave a friendly smile and got to his feet.

"I guess Flamebrain didn't explain our training hall. It was enchanted to be as big or as small as the user wanted, and since we have a few flyers, we like to keep it big enough for them to have a good amount of space."

"Amazing... are you ready for our spar Gray?" she taunted. He grinned at her, the ground beneath his feet turning to ice. the ice demon skated about fifty meters away from her, the ice disappearing when he stopped.

she smirked as she plucked a white key from the key ring, letting the familiar words slipping from her lips.

"Open, gate of the fire bird, Pheonix!" a burst of yellow and orange fire materialized just in front of her, taking the shape of a giant bird with a long neck, hooked beak, long draping, red and orange feathers, and yellow eyes that burned like the fire it was born of.

Nix, that was what he preferred being called, glanced back at her then jumped into the air, the feathers on his wings turning into a rainbow of colored flame.

"Star dress, Pheonix form." her clothes sizzled away, giving way to a ruby red jumpsuit and a pair of feathered wings that were a shade of bright red. her hair was tied in an elaborate bun, the hair clip holding it in place a detailed set of white wings. her feet were bare.

Gray watched her warily, not expecting a fire spirit, as ice formed an armor over his body, two scythes forming in his hands.

"Don't get your ass beat Ice Princess!" E.N.D called out from behind her as she and Nix lunged forwards. the ice demon just growled his response, blocking a claw strike from Nix and ducking under a fiery kick to the head. Lucy jumped over the scythe coming at her legs, throwing a ball of flame at the same time that Nix spat a fireball.

Gray blocked both, his weapons melting under the heat. quick to form new ones, the next two were Claymore swords that he swung as if he'd been born to use them. He was a blur as he attacked, easily cutting Nix down and forcing the spirit back before he or she realized what was happening.

Lucy jumped into the air, hovering high enough that he couldn't knock her out of the sky, conjuring fireballs into her hands and hurling them down at him. He deflected the first few, throwing them back at her, then dropped his swords, slamming a fist down on his open palm.

"Ice make: Arrow!" around him, nearly two dozen ice arrows formed, all pointing at her before shooting forwards. She quickly flew out of their direction, only for the arrows to follow her around. diving, she cannoned towards Gray, swinging her feet in front of her to slam her heels against his spine and sending him into the floor.

just as he hit the ground, the arrows caught up to her, spearing through her wings without remorse and making her scream in pain. her magic quickly dispelled the star dress, leaving only the phantom feel of pain as she stood in her t-shirt and pants from before.

the sound of feral growling came from where E.N.D was, and she scoffed. He had no faith in her, did he?

plucking another white key from her key ring, she grinned as she twirled the key between her fingers, a princess crown on one side and a set of chains on the other.

"Star dress, Andromeda form: chained lady." the side with the set of chains glowed as a gun metal gray toga covered her body, countless chains wrapped around her, two heavier looking ones in her hands. She snapped them towards Gray, who had gotten to his feet, the heavy chains winding around him tight and forcing the air from his lungs.

every moment he struggled, the chains tightened until his eyes bugged slightly and he was wheezing for air. when his head began to droop, she released him, letting his body fall to the ground.

she stalked over, her star dress fading as she rolled him onto his back, smirking down at him.

"I surrender..." the words were near silent, but as she heard them, she bent down, a hand out to help him up.

Gray grasped her forearm, heaving himself up with one pull.

"Ice Princess must be getting rusty, haven't seen ya get knocked down by anyone other than me and the elites so fast." E.N.D's voice had the pair looking back at him as he strolled up, yet again throwing an arm around Lucy." you alright Luce, getting stabbed through the wings hurts like fucking hell, even _if_ they're borrowed."

she rolled her eyes at his worried tone, reaching up to smack the back of his head.

"I'm not some weakling, dumbass." she mumbled, pushing at his side to create some space between them. Gray snickered in front of them, eyeing them suggestively.

"So, when's the baby coming?" Lucy immediately turned a ruby color, and turned her amber eyes to glare at the ice demon while E.N.D mouthed 'run' to his friend. not one to toy with death, Gray turned tail and bolted, Lucy following for half a step before E.N.D banded arms around her middle.

"Calm down Luce, he's just joking, no need to murder him." he chuckled as he pulled her flush against his front, lips beside her ear. she glared but relaxed in his grasp, stepping away when he deemed her sane." alright, let's rumble Luce, I won't go easy on you."

"Wouldn't dream of it."


	4. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo PT4

**Part 4**

Lucy grinned ferally as E.N.D moved to make more space between them, his more demonic features materializing in less than a second. She noted the thin black tail that swung behind him, curling in on itself so it didn't brush the floor. Was that there what they'd originally fought?

Andromeda's star dress still wrapped modestly around her, and she grinned, a long black chain materializing in her hands, a sharp blade hanging dangerously at it's end. E.N.D watched her, a predatory glint in his golden irises, beginning to take small strides in a large circle around her. She followed his movement, their gazes clashing.

She had no doubt about it, whoever blinked first would lose this fight. Her competitiveness had her hungry for the win, but there was another reason she felt the need to be victorious. The sparring match with Gray was just that, but this was completely different.

This, although unspoken, would definitely have a major effect on their odd relationship. Whoever won would be the 'alpha', and she was going to give it her all to make sure that was her, or at the least, show him that she shouldn't be underestimated.

He stopped stalking around her a moment later, settling into a crouched position, tail lashing and wings twitching, ready for action. He watched her, the intensity of his eyes almost crippling, and she barely kept herself from breaking their gazes, a shiver racing down her spine.

The blonde shifted her footing, putting more of her weight into her front leg and shifting the chain more into the opposite hand. A mere second later, she finally broke their gazes, lips twisting down in a frown. She lashed out, the chain snapping forwards, bladed end coming close to the male in an instant. She paled slightly when his lips twisted up in a smirk, hand moving faster than her eyes could track it.

Between his thumb and index finger, he held the blade, not even a little bit fazed by how close it was to his face. She couldn't drop the chain in time as he adjusted his hold, yanking it towards him and pulling her forwards. Lucy hit the ground harshly, wheezing out a breath, eyes widening when she realized he was already on top of her, fist cocked back.

She rolled just in time to avoid the powerful blow that had been aimed for her head, thankful that she had when she saw the small crater the attack had created.

Rolling to her feet, she sprung over a flaming low kick, using his shoulders as a springboard to flip over him, landing gracefully a handful of feet away.

She had enough time to pull out another key, letting it's magic wash over her. Draco's unique star dress materialized in the place of Andromeda's, the backless sheer dress leaving most of her skin exposed. Her tail swished placidly behind her as his gaze swept over her, similar to how it did when he'd first seen the star dress.

Lucy crouched low to the ground, low enough that she could lay her palm flat against it if she tried. She tried to push aside the fact that she was giving him a nice view down her cleavage, but the slight blush developing on his cheeks wasn't helpful.

"y'know, if you surrender now, I'll be nice," he gave her a sharp grin, "if you don't, I can't promise how nice I'll be when I win." His voice dropped an octave and took on a seductive, husky tone, and she shivered, not enjoying how badly she suddenly wanted to give in.

"As if. You're overconfident E.N.D, but I'll beat that out of you." She teased, lips quirking up in a smirk when he narrowed his eyes playfully. He bounced on his toes, and she flinched when he moved, fast enough that she couldn't see him, jumping in surprise when he reappeared right in front of her. Her legs were quickly swiped out from under her, and she hit the ground on her stomach, barely keeping her chin from smacking into the floor.

Moving to roll over, she grunted when a weight settled over her waist, pining her down. A quick glance behind her showed E.N.D straddling her, tail binding tight around hers to immobilize it. His hands were reaching to grasp hers, and she realized that he was extremely close, breath tickling the back of her neck and ears. She'd regret her move later, slamming the back of her head into his, startling him enough that his grip on her, and more importantly, her tail, loosened enough for her to bind the appendage around his ankle, swiftly throwing him off of her.

Scrambling to her feet, she cringed when the back of her head throbbed, a wave of nausea washing over her as she balanced herself, taking in a large breath of air. E.N.D was just getting to his feet when she spat several balls of celestial magic at him, each hitting its mark with deadly accuracy in a burst of light. Her right hand fell to her hip, gripping the handle of her whip and cracking it at her feet. E.N.D was glaring now, and she snapped the weapon, the cracker striking against his cheek.

She expected to see at least a small cut or scratch, not dark red scales that sunk back beneath his skin as quickly as they had appeared. The pink-haired demon's lips quirked up in a slightly feral grin, and he brought his fist's together, an explosion of flame created by the contact. He flung the fireballs towards her general area, none of them striking her, although many came uncomfortably close.

As she jumped out of the way of a larger ball, she thanked Draco for the enhanced intuition his star dress offered, because she probably would have gained some serious burns without it. Her head ached with every move she made, and she nearly whimpered her pain when she dropped into an abrupt squat to avoid a fireball aimed near her head. When she finally started to throw balls of celestial light back at him, he switched tactics, limbs aflame as he forced her into close-combat. She either dodged most strikes or blocked with her tail, knowing full well that if she attacked, he'd easily capture and overpower her again.

It was only when he managed to back her into a corner that she realized what exactly was happening. His previous fire ball onslaught had caused huge chunks of the wall to fall, and he used that to cage her in. Gritting her teeth, she ducked under a flaming right hook, quickly summoning one of her faster spirits. Aquila appeared high above them without the usual burst of light, and she let his star dress ripple over her.

The top was just a golden brown bikini top, held up by a thin string around her neck and one going around her back. The two triangles that held her breasts left little to imagination. A golden chain wrapped loosely around her neck, heavy and glittering. A high waisted, matching bikini short covered her womanhood, another golden chain looped twice around her waist.

The most stunning part of the star dress was the massive eagle's wings that extended from her back and the eagle tail the swept over the ground, both practically shining in the light.

E.N.D had stopped his barrage for a second, giving her enough time to pull her wings tight around her and slide through his slightly spread legs. He spun, expecting an attack from her, only to squawk when a pair of talons gripped his broad shoulders, effortlessly lifting him off the ground. Aquila moved quickly, throwing the demon king into a wall before he could free himself.

Lucy had already taken to the air, aiming to land a two footed kick on E.N.D. Unluckily, he'd already adjusted, catching her by her ankle and spitting a blaze of fire at Aquila. The eagle spirit narrowly avoided getting roasted, climbing higher into the air, sharp eyes watching the ongoing match. The blonde frowned when the spirit refused to come back down, saying that it was her fight.

She weaved out of the way of a flaming kick, beating the celestial wings to smother the pinkette's flames. He grinned when the flames on his hands went out, and much to her shock, the flames sprung back to life, more vicious than before.

"I've trained to fight in the strongest winds, this ain't nothing Luce." His cocky tone had her glaring, and she backed away, flinching when her head throbbed again, much more painful than before. He must have noticed the small move, because the competitive glint in his eyes disappeared for a moment, concern replacing it.

Lucy huffed out a breath then shot forwards, slamming her shoulder into his gut. He yelped his pain, but his hands quickly moved to grip the base of her wings, holding them tight enough to cause discomfort and also disable them. His black wings beat to keep them both in the air, but that soon changed as he let them begin to glide down. Meanwhile, she squirmed in his grip, hands pushing at his hard chest and legs flailing. When she nearly managed to knee him between the legs, his tail had instantly bound itself around the back of her knees and her tail, pining the limbs together.

Her hands still pushed at him, and she vainly tried to free her wings, not even gaining an inch. E.N.D laughed at her pout, and she scowled, writhing in his grasp. It was when her hands had slipped lower, pressing harshly at his lower stomach, that he spun her body mid-air so that her back was to him. Throwing caution to the wind, she tried to slam her head into his again, only for a hand to gently stop her from probably giving herself a concussion.

Despite the fact that he now held her wings with one hand, she still couldn't free herself. They were nearly at the ground now, and she grinned as an idea came to mind. Tilting her head so that she could see him out of the corner of her eye, she winked, then Aquila's star dress was replaced by the jeans and shirt she was originally wearing. She rolled as she hit the ground, bouncing up to her feet then grinning playfully when E.N.D stopped just in front of her.

He folded his wings to his back, getting into a pouncing position. She copied the movement, and he smiled, launching himself forwards. He was too close to dodge, so she settled with allowing him to tackle her, grappling with him. They were rolling around, and he'd let his demonic limbs disappear after they'd rolled onto one of his wings, crushing the poor limb.

She somehow managed to wrap her legs around his arm, forcing his body to turn away while her hands gripped the limb, pulling it towards her. He groaned at the unnatural angle, trying to pull his arm free, only for her to pull it even more. he let himself go lax, and she eased up, just slightly. Moving faster than she could blink, he used his free hand to force her legs to unclamp his arm, climbing up her body. E.N.D quickly grabbed her wrists, pinning them above her head, kneeling between her legs and leaning over her body.

He would've preferred to simply straddle her instead of being in _this_ position, but she seemed to enjoy striking males between the legs. She struggled for a minute, even tried buck him off, but he didn't even shift, watching her with an amused look. Eventually, she just gave up, slumping against the floor, not willing to look at him.

Meanwhile, E.N.D was becoming more and more uncomfortable, the position they were in not good for his mental health.

Her star dresses had been anything but modest, both making his twitch painfully in his pants. When he managed to pin her on her stomach, he could easily catch her addictive scent, and something had whispered it him. _'take her…'_

That same voice was whispering to him now, and he just hoped to whatever god was out there that the blonde wouldn't look down, if she did, he'd probably be castrated. Leaning down, his lips brushed her ear, and he grinned when she shivered below him.

"Surrender Luce… I win." She glared when he leaned away but kept her mouth shut, denying him the pleasure of her submission. When a growl bubbled up from his chest, she huffed, letting her cheek rest against the cool floor.

Next time, he'd be the one surrendering.

* * *

E.N.D had taken her back to Lisanna's gardens after they'd cleaned themselves up, having to leave the blonde there when a demon came running with a summons for E.N.D's appearance with his council. The Fiorians, more specifically Lisanna, were glad he had to leave, caressing the leaf of a smaller flower bush that the demon king had somehow managed to accidentally harm. Meanwhile Lucy had been glad, as his slightly louder than normal voice had not helped with the headache she'd given herself in their sparring.

"So, how'd your match against Gray go? Did you win?" they were laying on a patch of lush grass, the silverette's torso resting on the blonde's thighs. Lucy grinned at the question, a smug look in her eye.

"of course, I'd never let anyone beat me." Lisanna rolled her eyes with a giggle, gently pinching the blonde's side and making her jump.

"But Natsu won against you Lucy. I bet you were soo okay with him beating you!" the blonde sat up fully, glaring at her short-haired friend.

"I was not! I couldn't free myself, he had me pinned!" There was a flash of something in Lisanna's eyes, and Lucy shivered, remembering when she saw a similar look in the Mira's eyes.

"As if! General Helix trained you, and he could get out of anything!" she had crawled up Lucy's body before the blonde could react, doing a near perfect reenactment of the position Lucy had been in earlier. "You fight dirty against guys, so Natsu probably kept you from keeping your legs together," she forced herself between the blonde's thighs, ignoring her friend's glare, "and your hands were pinned, which means you cou..!"  
she didn't finish, squealing when Lucy's legs bound tightly around her waist, forcing them to flip over their heads and landing on top, grip switching so that her hands now bound Lisanna's. She glared daggers down at her friend, who grinned like the cat that caught the canary.

"You let him win Lucy, don't deny it. What doesn't make sense is why." Lucy glowered as she shifted so she wasn't sitting on her friend's hips, then straightened up with a huff of air.

"I'm straddling you right now Lis'! there's no way I'm gonna sit on the _demon king's_ lap!" she ground out. The blue-eyed mage blinked owlishly twice, then burst into laughter, Lucy clambering off before she strangled her friend.

"Y-you didn't want to straddle him? He's not some beast in heat, you were sparring, there's no reason to be scared to do something! If you gotta nail him in the balls, do it, if you gotta sit on him, then take a seat." She barely managed to get the words out before she continued her cackling, wiping a tear from her eye. Lucy had the decency to give her a second to breathe before poking Lisanna in the side and making her yelp.

"Calm down!" the words came out in a whiny tone, and Lisanna raised a brow.

"What, I've done nothing wrong here." She paused, eyes flickering over the blonde's form before a curious light filled her eyes. "I bet you've never used that on a guy before, y'know you probably haven't even had any romantic… interactions with a guy!" Lucy pouted at that, cheeks flushing slightly, and Lisanna made a small noise of triumph. "I never would have thought that you still had your v-card!"

"'Sanna!"

"I bet Natsu would love to help you lose it!"

"'SANNA!"

* * *

Erza scowled as she rode through the eastern pass of the Fiorian plains, eyes scanning over the ash covered land. She'd received word that a decently sized village had been attacked by demons, and had set out on the half day trip to help the villagers if the battle still raged on. As she got half an hour out from the village, she'd started to see bodies strewn across the roads and in the charred fields. They were mostly men, with a few women and children, who's faces had been ripped open by blades.

When she first saw them, she had to stop and throw up, the sight making her sick to the stomach.

Eventually, she reached the village, or what remained of it. Buildings were mere skeletons of what they once were, burned till all that remained were the useless remains. In the center of the ruins were several unmarked tents with a giant tent pitched in the center.

She tied her horse up just out of sight, giving him an apple as she requiped. A black skintight jumpsuit clung to her, and she wrapped a lithe hand around the handle of the katana she had chosen. Sneaking closer, she kept an eye out for any demon that may be on patrol, letting out a sigh when there seemed to be none. She crept up to one of the tents that was further out, hearing nothing. Her blade easily cut through the leathery material used to make the tent, and she peered inside, eyes widening and jaw dropping at the sight.

Women and children were huddled in the center of the tent, the only thing they wore was a gleaming silver collar around their necks. Most had tears running down their cheeks and they all held each other, eyes wide with fear, watching her. A few of the older women shifted to hide the others from her, and she frowned.

Her soul screamed for vengeance as her eyes fell on every bruise and cut decorating their skin. Most had bruises in the shape of fingers on their hips, waists and thighs, a small minority had blackish blue bruises wrapped around their throats.

One child, a little boy with snow coloured hair, no older than five, crawled around the others, eyes full of confusion, hope and trepidation. A thin woman reached out, a hand wrapping around his calf, and he swung his head back to face her. Her lips moved, but no sound came out, and she deflated even more. The little boy freed himself from her grasp and continued to approach, and Erza pulled the cloth covering her mouth down, giving him a reassuring smile.

Once he was within arm's reach, his scratched-up hands moved up, grasping loosely at the collar around his neck and giving a light tug.

She nodded, her own hands moving to cover his, feeling along the silver coloured metal, pausing when she felt a small space in it. Digging a nail into the crack, she easily pried the metal apart, tossing it behind her while the boy's eyes lit up. He laughed, his voice hoarse, and threw himself at her, skinny arms wrapping around her neck, clinging to her.

"t-thank you lady!" he released her after a moment, and she smiled back at him, turning that smile on to the women and children that were now watching with interest.

She motioned one of the elder women over, and quickly removed the collar. She rubbed at her throat, lips curling up in a smile.

"thank you ma'am…" Erza nodded, eyes darting to the opening of the tent when she heard a voice coming from outside, too quiet to make out the words.

"What happened here?" the woman flinched at the question, eyes dropping to the floor, arms wrapping around herself.

"We were forced from our homes by the soldiers, they killed all of the men, and anyone who resisted them. They burned down our homes and forced these collars on us… they took away our ability to speak, so we couldn't even pray when they started… they started to take us to their tent… gods, its horrible… the-they raped everyone, they started with the women, then when he," she pointed to a boy curled in a blue haired woman's lap, shaking violently. "defended his sister, they took him too… we couldn't fight back, they killed whoever tried to escape…"

Tears were pouring down her face now, and Erza's heart throbbed at the despair in her voice, noting that everyone else was crying at the same time. The need for vengeance grew only stronger as she turned her gaze to the tent opening. All of these revolting demons would stain the ground with their blood to atone for this.

"I promise, I will kill the demons who did this to you, then you will be free." The woman's eyes widened, and she shook her head.

"there are no demons here, only the soldiers of Fiore…"


	5. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo PT5

**PART 5**

The adults took spared no time ushering the children out of the tent, careful to avoid the sight of any who may be on patrol. The older woman who Erza had spoken to remained by the entrance, a borrowed sword held shakily in her weathered hands. Erza was on the opposite side mahogany eyes darting between the fleeing villagers and the entrance. Any who tried to enter the tent would quickly find themselves bleeding out on the ground.

When the final woman left, the redhead dropped her guard a bit, focusing on the only other occupant of the tent. The woman handed over the sword quickly, as if it burned her, violet eyes watching the Fiorian general as she sheathed the blade.

"T-Thank you so much… We didn't believe any help would come..." her voice shook with her words, and the redhead nodded with a grim smile, arms wrapping loosely around the woman to offer some form of comfort.

"And now, your remaining people are safe and out of harms way." She leaned away, eyes locking on the woman's. "Do you know the name of the soldier who's in charge?"

"I-I heard the soldiers who captured us mention a Colonel Bora and General Por-"

"I'm not too surprised… go return to your family, I'll come lead you into the city after I put an end to this." Erza didn't mean to cut the poor, traumatized woman off, but if she didn't go gut both of those traitors, she'd scream. Colonel Bora of Prominence had been convicted of a handful of crimes before the High Council had enlisted him due to a shortage of willing fighters.

General Jose Porla was a whole other matter. A master of dark spells, he was known for escaping charges on his criminal actions. For some reason, the High Council had decided that he deserved a spot at their table, and he'd gained a position that no madman should ever hold. Erza had always suspected he was still up to his old ways, and if this didn't confirm it, nothing would. The older woman nodded and practically sprinted out, eyes darting around as she disappeared behind a building.

Reequipping into her heaven's wheel armor, Erza focused on the tent flap, taking in a deep breath and steeling herself. The sounds of chatter and movement filled the space around her, and she felt her blood boil even hotter. How dare they commit such a terrible crime, then go on like they did no wrong.

Her vision was tinted red as she burst from the tent, her blades singing through the air, cutting down any and all in their path. Some tried to fight back, some ran, and others froze, but none were spared, their screams ringing through the stale air.

"IT'S THE TITANIA!" one soldier screamed. His comrades paled even more, and she grinned viciously. Soon enough, everyone was on the ground, and she didn't care if they still breathed or not. She moved to the main tent, shouldering her way in. she nearly vomited at the sight that was presented to her, soldiers zipping themselves up while the enslaved women and children scrambled as far away from their tormentors. A few soldiers glared, but most looked upon her as if she were the angel of death, falling to their knees.

Those who tried to apprehend her met the same fate as their colleagues, and she ushered the villagers out of the tent. One of the soldiers who submitted pointed to a corner of the tent, where boxes were stacked high. Long, purposeful strides brought her to the spot quickly, and she peered behind the boxes.

Bora hid behind the boxes like the coward he was, screeching when she grabbed him harshly by the hair, pulling him into the air then throwing him. He staggered to his feet when he stopped bouncing, purple flames licking up and down his body, eyes darting around the massive tent, searching for an exit. Erza would've laughed at him, but her mind was full of rage, advancing on the Colonel. He tried to scramble away, but she efficiently pinned him down by sending one of her swords through the fabric of his jacket, pulling him to the ground.

"Where is Jose?!" the tip of her sword pressed lightly against the column of his throat, the growl in her voice making him quake below her. Bora made an odd choking noise, trying and failing to escape the touch of her blade. "I will not ask a second time! The crimes committed here will be punished, but if I do not get Jose, you will wish I killed you!" his black eyes widened, beads of sweat dribbling down his skin. The redhead's glare intensified, blade pressing further into his skin, slicing it open and drawing blood.

"H-he's on his way back to the Capital." A growl built up in her throat, and he paled even more, if that was even possible.

"How long ago?!"

"Ten minutes! P-Please let me go!" his grovelling made her shiver in disgust. Erza raised her blade, and he let out a loud sigh of relief, only to screech in surprise and pain when she requipped a serrated blade and drove it through his side, pinning him to the ground.

"You'll be fine as long as you don't move. My battalion will arrive within the day, and I will leave my second to deal with you. He is definitely not as forgiving as me." She spat out the words, then spun on her heel, padding off and ignoring Bora's pleas for help.

* * *

Lisanna had never spent too long wandering the halls of Alegria alone. The only time she felt like she could walk through the castle without a care was when Bixslow was with her. They'd goof off most times, and had gained a reputation for emptying ink wells and leaving whip cream bombs in desks. Natsu, Gray and the twins never really minded, the younger demons usually pulling their own little pranks as well.

Now though, there was no planning for a prank, or laughing about the weird things that happened during their days. She had something that she had to do, something she should have done long ago.

Taking a right, she quickly found herself facing heavy, dark wood doors, intricate gold designs decorating their faces. She raised a small hand, rapping her knuckles against it. A swear sounded behind the door, and she caught the sound of something hitting the floor. A moment later, the doors creaked open, a pink-haired head peeking out at her.

Natsu blinked twice, rubbing at slightly red eyes and yawning.

"hey 'Sanna, what do ya need?" he leaned heavily on the door, and she grinned when she noticed his wings were out to help keep his balance.

"I was wondering if you were using your communications lacrima? Also, when last did you rest, you look like you're gonna pass out." He shrugged at the comment, stepping aside and letting her into the room. It had been a while since she'd visited his office, so it took a minute for her to find the lacrima, setting it up on his desk excitedly.

"Who are ya calling?" Natsu flopped onto a soft, felt sofa as he spoke, his body twisting into an awkward position. Lisanna blinked at the question, flattening a palm to the cool surface of the lacrima.

"Someone I should've called a long time ago…" he hummed, burying his face in the sofa with a groan. "you should head to your room, it's nearly one." Natsu's tail twitched in response, and he shrugged, refusing to move his head, much to her amusement.

"she kinda kicked me out... well she asked…" She couldn't help but laugh at that, not at all surprised. Lucy was a mage and got embarrassed by every little thing. Most likely, she was still embarrassed from their earlier conversation. Throwing the demon king an apologetic look, she funneled her temperamental magic through her palm and into the lacrima, the image of her family filling her mind.

The lacrima glowed, a dim, silver glow, then an image slowly began to materialize, an exact copy of someone she hadn't seen in a long time.

Mira's blue eyes blinked at the lacrima, glazed by sleep. She stared at the lacrima for a few seconds, taking a minute before her eyes widened, tears threatening to fall.

"L-Lisanna…"

"hey big sis'."

* * *

She couldn't sleep. The pounding at the back of her skull left her curled up in the dark, tears pricking at her eyes. The self-inflicted injury had proved to be much worse than anticipated, and she berated herself over the stupid action. Earlier in the night, she and E.N.D were lazing around in the room when she felt the warm trickle of blood on the back of her head.

She'd rushed to the bathroom, much to her drowsy roommate's confusion, and locked herself in. it didn't take long for the demon king to catch the scent of her blood, knocking at the locked door. She scrambled for a response, words spilling from her lips before she realized what she said.

"Girl problems!" the sputtering response she got would've been funny if she weren't mortified, watching the door for a second, expecting him to say something.

"I-I'm here if you need me to get you anything…"

She nodded, then realized that he couldn't see her, calling out a quiet 'thank you', then turning on the shower. It didn't take long for the room to fill with steam, washing herself off with a vanilla scented soap before turning her attention to her head.

The wound stung when water touched it, a hiss slipping past her lips. Once most of the blood was gone, she stepped out, quickly going to her keys. Throwing on a towel, she summoned Virgo, who wordlessly deposited a small container in her hands before disappearing. It was an ointment that Lucy found herself using whenever she lacked a form of healthcare, and she carefully dabbed the medicine over the wound.

It wouldn't heal immediately but it would stop most of the bleeding. She tucked the container away behind two larger bottles on the countertop, then slipped on a simple black nightgown.

After that, she went back to her spot on one of the lounge chairs, ignoring E.N.D's curious and confused gaze, nose buried in one of the books she'd found lying around. Eventually, she migrated to the bed, snuggling under the covers. When she was just barely out of consciousness, an arm fell lightly over her waist, and she felt warm air tickle at her head, hot against her injury. With a startled yelp, she jumped away, eyes flying wide open while he moved an arm-length away, a look of trepidation on his face.

"s-sorry… would it be alright if I had the bed to myself? I know it's not my place…" he didn't let her finish, giving her a warm, drowsy smile then staggering to his feet.

"no problem Luce… I'll see ya in the morning?" She made a small noise at the back of her throat, which he took as a yes, rolling to his feet and padding out of the room, giving her a concerned look the entire time.

Now, she wished she'd properly addressed the injury earlier, it was late enough that her limbs refused to work, and any healer would be in deep sleep by then. A particularly painful throb had her curling tighter around herself with a whimper, a single tear trailing down her face.

Every minute that passed had the pain increasing, and eventually, tears flowed freely onto the pillows. Swamped by the pain, she didn't fully recognize when the doors swung open, dim golden torchlight filling the room. There was a voice she wasn't too familiar with, speaking to her, but she could barely decipher the words, only recognizing when the person swore loudly.

They apologized, arms sliding under her body and carefully lifting her from the bed. The simple shift had her the throbbing increasing tenfold, and she couldn't help but cry out, clutching at her head, eyes squeezed shut.

* * *

As the head of the king's guard, he usually spent his time stalking the halls, making sure all of his subordinates were doing their jobs and not flaking on their rounds. It was nearly three in the morning when he smelled it. As a dragon demon, his senses were heightened to the point that he could smell, see, and hear anything up to a few hundred metres in his smaller form. When he first caught the scent of salty water, his steps had sped up slightly, curiosity and worry sparking in him.

As he drew closer to his king's chambers, he could hear whimpers, so quiet he thought he was imagining it. He moved to the massive doors, a yawn cracking his jaw, and knocked, cracking the doors open after receiving no reply. Crystal blue eyes scanned the dark themed room before landing on the golden-haired woman curled up on the bed. His sharp eyes spotted red on the back of her head, the scent of blood nearly smothered by the scent of her tears.

He knew all too well who was curled up on his king's bed, Gray had spoken about the female mage earlier in the night when they were all on break. He approached carefully, noting how she curled further in on herself.

"M'lady? Are you alright?" of course she wasn't alright, if she were, then she wouldn't have a bleeding head wound, crying in the middle of the night. "Shit… I don't know what to do…" he could take her to the infirmary, but the healers had retired for the night, but he didn't want to leave her here alone all night.

Looping his arms under her shaking form, he lifted her from the covers, as if she would fall apart in his arms, cringing when she cried out, hands flying up to grip her head. His tail snaked out, a bright white in colour, pulling the doors closed behind him.

The halls in the castle were quiet, and he passed a pair of R rank guards, their rank displayed by the single silver band wrapped around their wrists. They were whispering to each other, nodding their heads at him before continuing on, sparing the mage in his arms a concerned glance.

It didn't take long for him to reach the infirmary, throwing a ball of light up to illuminate the dark room. He laid the blonde on her side on the closest cot, stacking up the plush pillows to keep her head level. After making sure she was comfortable, he pulled the covers over her, then padded to the back of the room, tapping a finger against the surface of a circle shaped lacrima. It buzzed at the touch, then flickered on, showing darkness.

"What do you want Sting, it's godsdamn three!" Shelia's sleep roughened voice sounded through the lacrima, and he ignored her annoyed tone.

"You need to get to the infirmary, now. E.N.D's guest has a pretty bad head injury…" the sky demon's face popped into view in an instant, eyes wide with surprise, the vibrant pink bird's nest on her head amusing the blonde.

"WHAT!? I'll be down as soon as possible." The lacrima went dark a moment later, and he sighed, taping at the smooth surface again. It flickered, this time showing his king, the pink-haired dragon demon squinting at him.

"Lightbulb…? Why the fuck are you waking me up? Shit, is there a pre-dawn meeting that I missed?!" Why was everyone so grumpy? He wasn't doing anything wrong… E.N.D's sharp gaze watched him, waiting for Sting to say something.

"well… um… I was checking in on everything, and I found the Fiorian mage, your guest. She has a bad head wound, was in tears when I found her." The look of shock and worry that filled the demon king's eyes surprised the blond.

"What? How? You're in the infirmary, right?" He didn't wait for any response, moving away from the lacrima, the last thing Sting saw was a thin, black tail tapping the lacrima, cutting off the connection.

He made his way back to the mage, settling on the cot opposite to her, unsure of what to do. She was still shaking, small whimpers and cries spilling from her lips.

Two minutes later, Shelia burst through the doors, chest heaving with exertion, blue eyes falling on the blonde. Going into full work mode, Sting watched her approach the mage, a hand going to hover over her head, glowing with a subtle black light. The doors slammed open again, E.N.D scrambling into the room. He was like a bat out of hell, sliding to the golden-haired mage's side, his back to Sting, not that the white magic wielder minded.

He stood up when a whiney growl built up in E.N.D's throat, confident that she'd be fine in his hands. Padding over to the door, he gave a final glance back, eyes falling on the mage's face, no longer scrunched in pain.

She was pretty, it was understandable why E.N.D kept her here, but something about her was familiar, his mind going back to the days where the war had been brought to the southern borders. Fiorian soldiers had burned a small village to the ground, and as he and his demons swept the scorched land for any survivors, all they found were charred remains, and a woman with golden hair, laying in a pool of her own blood, tears staining her cool cheeks.

Why did this mage remind him of her?

Sting threw hit curiosity to the wind, summing it all up to coincidence, and stepped into the dim halls, nearly running into the wall at the same time.

Gods it was late…

* * *

Swiping blood from her brow, the Fiorian general closed in on her target, the dark mage scowling at her from his place on the ground. Erza had caught up with Jose and his men just a mile or two from the city, taking all but him out with a volley of arrows. He'd been thrown from his horse, and she ensured all other steeds were nowhere close, offering little chance of escape.

From there, it had started going downhill alarmingly fast.

His shades quickly bore down on her, and she'd had to move quickly in order to slay them and avoid their withering touch. She'd been so focused on neutralizing his soldiers that she had only recognized the shuriken flying towards her face when it was only an arm's length away. It had scored a deep slash from just above her left eyebrow to her hairline, blood dripping too close to her eye and distracting her.

Ducking under another shuriken, she lunged forwards, her flight armor wrapping around her form. Her dual blades swept inwards, catching Jose across the ribs on both sides, the blades easily slicing through his armored clothing, blood weeping from the wicked wounds. Jose swore, the words foreign to her ears, face scrunched in pain as his shades lashed out, slamming into her chest, staggering back from the unexpected force.

Straightening, she frowned at the space her target had put between them, the dark mage hunched over, one black eye watching her, its partner clenched shut, a bruise forming around it. He was practically seething, his rage easy to see, shades dancing around at his feet. One suddenly sped towards her, it's eerie howl cut short as it met her blades, its place taken by three more. Just like before, she deftly dodged their gnarly talons and gaping maws, grinning viciously when they shifted, just for a moment, but long enough that she finally caught a glimpse of Jose, a magic seal forming before his open hands.

She reequipped in an instant, the robe of yuen covering her form, single arrow in her right hand, a golden bow in her left. Even with the change of weapon, she easily dealt with her opponents, watching and waiting for her next opportunity.

When one shade feinted left, she saw her target, arrow notched and aimed with a fraction of a second. It shot off with a twang that Erza would always enjoy the sound of, slicing through the air on a clear path. It hit dead on, the mere force behind it leaving it buried to the fletching. Jose howled his pain, hands flying to where the arrow had entered through his shin, blood oozing sluggishly. His shades shuddered to a stop, inanimate without the focus of their conjurer. Her bow was traded for a long tapering katana, the titanium damascus blade glinting in the light. She was quick to cull those who stood in her path, gritting her teeth when they shuddered, their movement restored. They swarmed her, but they were nothing but gnats now, their numbers too scarce to be anything other than an annoyance.

Once she was clear, Jose took the opportunity to release a wave of dark magic, grass withering as it passed. Erza didn't think before vaulting herself high into the air,

Once she was clear, Jose took the opportunity to release a wave of dark magic, grass withering as it passed. Erza didn't think before vaulting herself high into the air, the sun beating at her back as she slashed out, Jose skittering from the sharp edge of her blade. When he shoved her back with an unbalanced wave of magic, he used the opportunity to cloak shadows around his forearms, raising one to block her next attack.

Blows were traded for what felt like hours, and both Fiorian generals were bruised and bloody. Jose, despite the arrow protruding from his shin, was keeping the redhead on her toes, nearly gutting her when she'd had a momentary loss of focus.

Blood slicked the ground beneath their feet, both slipping on the red liquid every now and then. She jabbed forwards, sword going through his cape instead of his side, and she mentally berated herself as he slipped under her arm, her left side open to attacks. There was no time to block or dodge, all she could do was watch as his dark claws closed in on her.

There was no contact though, a glowing, golden fist slamming into Jose's face and sending him flying back. Hands grasped firmly at her biceps, steadying her, and she got a glimpse of her saviour before they followed Jose. Brown eyes and an odd-looking tattoo. Neither were familiar, but the emblem of a Fiorian elite captain stood out against the dark blue of his cloak.

The staff clenched within his left hand glowed, and he leveled it at Jose, chains materializing from it and binding him within a heartbeat.

"NO! Release me!" Jose's cries fell on deaf ears as he was seized from the ground.

"General Jose Porla of the Fiorian army, you are under arrest for crimes against the people of Fiore and for resisting." The masked man's voice was deep and smooth to Erza's ears, and she watched as the chains moved up to bind Jose's mouth closed before he spoke. She flinched when he turned his gaze on her, raising a brow at the flash of surprise in his eyes. "General Scarlet, the villagers had said I would find you. I hope you'll be able to return to Crocus on your own. I would offer some assistance, but I can only bring one with me."

"I'll be fine. I know most of the Elite, however, we've not been acquainted." He nodded, rolling his eyes when Jose thrashed.

"Je- Mystogan, rank Z juggernaut elite." What was he going to say? Suspicion built up in her, but she kept it hidden, nodding with a courteous smile. There was definitely something off with Mystogan, and she was going to find out no matter what, that would be her priority.

A wound on her side throbbed, causing her to grit her teeth.

Change of plans, get healed, _then_ investigate the suspicious mage standing before her.


End file.
